System and method for setting a rideshare transaction fee

ABSTRACT

A system and method for setting a rideshare transaction fee is provided. Data is maintained for rideshare transactions, each associated with a route. At least one rideshare transaction that travels along a particular route is identified. A number of drivers offering transportation on that particular route and a number of passengers seeking transportation on the particular route are determined. A transaction fee for the rideshare transaction along the particular route is set. The transaction fee is increased when there are more passengers seeking transportation than drivers offering transportation. The transaction fee is decreased when there are more drivers offering transportation than passengers seeking transportation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/834,829, filed Jul. 12, 2010, pending, which is a divisionalof U.S. Pat. No. 7,756,633, issued on Jul. 13, 2010, the priority filingdates of which are claimed, and the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference.

FIELD

This application relates in general to ridesharing in a transportationsystem and, in particular, to a system and method for setting arideshare transaction fee.

BACKGROUND

Interaction with transportation systems is a daily fact of life for mosteveryone. Whether it is a public bus system or private car, getting fromone place to another seems increasingly more difficult and costly. Roadcongestion, burdensome fuel prices and environmental concerns beg foralternatives. Existing alternatives each have their own pluses andminuses. For example, public transportation is relatively inexpensiveand safe, but participants are restricted to certain routes andschedules that are unlikely to meet everyone's needs. Use of a privatecar personalizes routes and schedules, but is expensive in terms offuel, pollution, and required road infrastructure.

Rideshare programs have been proposed that attempt to match publicriders with private drivers. In a rideshare program, a private driveragrees to provide transportation to a rider traveling in generally thesame direction at generally the same time. A significant advantage tothese rideshare programs is the more efficient use of resources,including cars, fuel and roads. Participants might be slightlyinconvenienced in terms of routes and schedules to accommodate the needsof other riders. There are transaction costs to matching riders withdrivers in terms of both time and compensation, which must be worthwhileto all parties to encourage use of the system. Examples of ridesharesystems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,875, issued Nov. 23, 1982to Behnke and U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,730, issued Feb. 24, 2004 toDickerson, the disclosure of which are incorporated by reference.

Rideshare programs may also introduce issues for participants notpresent when they make their own way. For instance, besides destinationand time, there may be issues with compatibility and compensation.Participants are prudent to be concerned with their own security whenmatched with participants previously unknown to them. Monitoring thesecurity of the participants during the trip and the success of therideshare would also be of benefit. There exists a need to encourage theparticipation of participants in a rideshare program, to matchparticipants based upon compatibility and to enhance the security of theparticipants while participating in the rideshare. The present inventionprovides such methods and systems, among the other advantages describedbelow.

SUMMARY

A rideshare method and system is provided that includes, among otheraspects, rideshare transaction matching, participant security,participation incentives and rideshare system financing. Rideshareparticipant devices are made available to rideshare participants. Therideshare participant devices have both communication capabilities andprovide location information. An embodiment of the rideshare systemcommunicates with the rideshare participants to facilitate ridesharetransaction matching and to provide participation incentives. Therideshare participant device is also employed by the rideshare system tomonitor and track the rideshare transaction while it is in progress.

Participant security in rideshare transactions is provided. Therideshare system monitors the rideshare transaction while in progressand determines the security of the rideshare participants. In anembodiment, one or more of the rideshare participant devices aremonitored in near real time. Information obtained from the rideshareparticipant device is analyzed for anomalies that might indicate asecurity concern. For example, the location of the participant deviceduring the rideshare transaction can be compared to a trip route and asecurity alert triggered if that location deviates from the expectedtrip route by more that a predetermined threshold. The trip route mayfurther be specified by the rideshare system to account forcommunication connectively advantageous to near real time monitoring.Other concerns, such a route visibility to the public and theavailability of emergency services may be utilized in the selection ofthe trip route.

In another embodiment, rideshare participant devices are available to aplurality of rideshare participant. For example a driver and a passengereach have access to a rideshare participant device. The rideshare systemmonitors and utilizes the plurality of rideshare participant devices toprovide security. The rideshare system may communicate security inquiresto rideshare participants via their rideshare participant devices when asecurity alert is determined. Responses to the security inquiry may beconfirmed by the rideshare system against pre-arranged confirmationtokens, such as personal identification numbers or biometricinformation. The rideshare system may also compare location informationobtained from the participant devices to determine anomalous conditions,such as when the location of the rideshare participant devices divergesbefore the rideshare transaction is expected to conclude.

The rideshare system also provides rideshare matching based at least inpart on participant ratings. The rideshare system may make the match ormay involve the rideshare participants in the match process. Forexample, experiences of the participants as drivers or passengers inprevious rideshare transactions may be tracked and evaluated.Compatibility of the participants may be estimated by evaluations ofsocial networks or common interests. Objective data, such as drivingbehavior or heath conditions is also used in embodiments to determine arideshare transaction match. Rideshare participants may also specifyfilters for metrics that the participant desires the other participantto meet.

The rideshare system provides participation incentives for drawing inand retaining rideshare participants. These incentives may includeproviding free or discounted products utilized or relevant to therideshare system, such as rideshare participant devices, navigationsystems or insurance policies. Other incentives might make the ridesharetransaction safer or more pleasant, such as providing vehicleinspections or vehicle cleaning services.

The rideshare system also provides business methods for self-financing.In an embodiment, the rideshare transactions are fee based, with thepossibility of a fee split with one or more of the rideshareparticipants. The fee may be set through an auction process. In anotherembodiment, the rideshare system generates income through relatedproducts, such as arranging for or providing insurance policies.

A system and method for setting a rideshare transaction fee is provided.Data is maintained for rideshare transactions, each associated with aroute. At least one rideshare transaction that travels along aparticular route is identified. A number of drivers offeringtransportation on that particular route and a number of passengersseeking transportation on the particular route are determined. Atransaction fee for the rideshare transaction along the particular routeis set. The transaction fee is increased when there are more passengersseeking transportation than drivers offering transportation. Thetransaction fee is decreased when there are more drivers offeringtransportation than passengers seeking transportation.

Still other embodiments of the present invention will become readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription, wherein are described embodiments by way of illustratingthe best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will berealized, the invention is capable of other and different embodimentsand its several details are capable of modifications in various obviousrespects, all without departing from the spirit and the scope of thepresent invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed descriptionare to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing, by way of example, a ridesharetransaction utilizing location determining communication systems.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary rideshare system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary rideshare matching transactionsystem.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary rideshare participationincentives component.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of exemplary rideshare revenue businessmethods.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary rideshare security system.

FIG. 7 is a state diagram illustrating a general scenario forserver-based security checks.

FIG. 8 is a state diagram illustrating a general scenario for devicebased security checks.

FIG. 9 is a state diagram illustrating an exemplary location securitymonitor.

FIG. 10 is a state diagram illustrating an exemplary tracking signalloss security monitor.

FIG. 11 is a state diagram illustrating an exemplary unexpectedparticipant separation security monitor.

FIG. 12 is a state diagram illustrating an exemplary unexpected stopsecurity monitor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Rideshare System Overview

An overview of a rideshare system 100 is shown in FIG. 1. A rideshare isbroadly defined as a transaction between a driver 102 and a passenger104 that results in the transportation of the rideshare participants102, 104 to a destination 106 along a route 108. The driver 102 providestransportation using a vehicle such as an automobile 110. Other forms oftransportation may be provided, such as airplanes, trains or vans.

Each participant 102, 104 has available to him or her a rideshare device112, 114. The rideshare device 112, 114 has communication capabilitiesand a location determining capabilities. The rideshare device 112, 114communicates with a location broadcast station 120 and a communicationbroadcast station 130. Commonly, the location broadcast station 120 is asatellite, such as a global positioning satellite provided by the UnitedStates government. Examples of communication broadcast stations 130include cellular towers, WI-MAX broadcasters, WiFi broadcasters,walkie-talkie and other forms of radio communication. The locationbroadcast station 120 and the communication broadcast station 130 may becombined into any convenient form, satellite or terrestrial.

The rideshare device 112, 114 may be any type of presently known orfuture developed communication device. Communication systems are quicklybeing combined such that computer devices are providing variouscombinations of voice, text, e-mail, instant messaging, video, picturesand other forms of communication between devices. For example, therideshare device 112, 114 may be a cellular telephone with GPS (globalpositioning satellite) capabilities. GPS capabilities enable determiningthe three spatial coordinates of the device and the fourth dimension oftime at or near when that determination is made. The location of thedevice generally refers to the three spatial coordinates of the deviceat a particular time.

To simplify the following discussion, the rideshare device 112, 114 willgenerally be discussed as if it is a cell phone with GPS capabilities,but limitation to this type of device is not intended. The participantdevice 112, 114 includes, or has access to, a location system such asGPS or other locating strategies. GPS systems determine location bymeasuring the time differentials for location signals 126, 128 comingfrom GPS satellites 120 orbiting the earth. Similarly, a cellulartelephone, or similar device, can be located by triangulatingcommunication signals 132, 134 originating from the device 112, 114received at a plurality of broadcast stations 130.

A rideshare system 160 interfaces with the rideshare devices 112, 114through the communication broadcast station 130. The rideshare system160 arranges and administers a rideshare transaction between a driver102 and a passenger 104. The rideshare transaction occurs along a route108 starting at an origin 105 and concluding at a destination 106. Asdiscussed below, the rideshare system 160 determines a driver location170 using the location capabilities of the driver device 114. The driverlocation 170 may be the origin 105 or any point along the route 108 asthe vehicle 110 is in transit. A pickup location 172 is determined fromthe location capabilities of the passenger device 112. The application172 need not be the actual location of the passenger device 112, forinstance a safer nearby pickup location may be specified by therideshare system 160. Safety functions provided by the rideshare system160 include the monitoring of a trip location 174 as the passenger 104shares the transport 110 with the driver 102.

The rideshare system 160 includes a number of subsystems shown generallyin block form in FIG. 2. The rideshare system 160 may be used in anumber of transportation contexts and locations. For example, therideshare system 160 may support commuting in different metropolitanareas within the same or different countries. A rideshare support system210 provides a localization module 212 that may provide directions andinstructions translated for, or otherwise tailored to, a particularlocation. A map module 214 provides transportation maps, for exampleroadmaps of the transportation coverage area administered by therideshare system 160. Navigation systems support 216 provides navigationfunctions such as driving directions and may be interfaced with locationdetermining systems such as GPS or the location determining functions ofthe participant devices 112, 114.

A rideshare match transaction system 220 generally includes functionsfor matching participants 102, 104 in a rideshare transaction. Arideshare security module 230 tracks and monitors the participants 102,104 during the rideshare transaction. The various components 210, 260 ofthe rideshare system 160 employ a communication system 240. For example,the rideshare match transaction system 220 may utilize the participantdevices 112, 114 to arrange a rideshare transaction and also to trackand monitor participant security via the rideshare security module 230.The communication system 240 may also interface the components 210, 260of the rideshare system 160 via wired or wireless communicationssystems, such as a wide area network, local area network, or cellularcommunication network.

Rideshare accounting system 250 provides functions for the monetary andnon-monetary administration of the rideshare system, for example,tracking and accounting for: rideshare transactions; financialnegotiations for rideshare between participants 102, 104; fees andcommissions that may be taken by the rideshare system 160; revenuesgenerated by the rideshare revenue business methods 260; expenseallocations; and, rideshare participation incentives. Rideshare revenuebusiness methods 260 provide profit and financing alternatives for therideshare system 160.

Participant Matching

Turning to FIG. 3, the ride matching transaction system 220 includes aparticipant match component 330, a ride match component 350, a financialnegotiations component 360 and a rideshare participation incentivescomponent 370 that in various combinations match rideshare participants102, 104 using dimensions beyond just a shared route. The participantmatch component 330 matches participants 102, 104 using either or bothsocial and security considerations. The identification of a participantis performed by a participant identification component 332. Theidentification may be confirmed by the participant component 332, forinstance, by biometric input, video input or passwords. Backgroundinformation associated with the identity of the participant can bereferenced and utilized by a background checker component 334.

Participants 102, 104 can also be matched by a social network component336 using social network information Maintained by either the ridesharematching transaction system 220 or third party social network systems.For example, a driver 102 may wish to only be matched to passengers 104identified as friends (first degree relationships) or friends of friends(second degree relationships). A participation-scoring component 338 maymaintain information documenting the participation of the participants102, 104. The participation information may include such values as thenumber of successful rideshare transactions that the participant hasparticipated in, feedback scores from other participants that haveparticipated in rideshare transactions with the subject participant orrecommendations from other rideshare participants.

The shared interest-scoring component 340 determines and compares eitheror both biographic or behavioral information. Examples of biographicinformation might include gender, age, hobby, profession and musicpreferences. Examples of behavioral information might include smoking ornon-smoking preferences. The participant match component 330 may utilizeinformation other than that directly associated with a participant. Forexample, a vehicle information component 342 may obtain and utilizeinformation pertaining to the characteristics of the vehicle 110, suchas vehicle size, number of available seats, insurance safety ratings andthe like. Vehicle maintenance and safety inspections are other examplesof information associated with the vehicle 110 that may inform aparticipant 104 directly, or the participant match component 330automatically, to arrange a rideshare match transaction.

The participant match component 330 also provides for a preferencescomponent 344, which may require, or give preference to, certainparticipants or classes of participants. For example, priority may begiven to corporate sponsored users, participants with nearby home orwork locations, participants with good participant ratings, orparticipants with certain group associations.

The ride match component 350 includes systems and methods for thetransportation specifics of the rideshare transaction. A route matchcomponent 352 determines a route 108 that corresponds to a location 170,a proposed pickup location 172 and a destination 106. To coordinate aroute 108 that meets the criterion of the ride location 170, the pickuplocation 172 and the destination 106, the route match component 352 maydetermine a suitable route with a route-planning component 354. A pickupand drop-off alternatives component 356 may suggest an alternativepickup or drop-off location that complies with route planningobjectives, such as choosing routes with consideration for the safety ofthe participants, as is discussed in more detail below. The ride matchcomponent 350 may also undertake the negotiation of elements that theparticipants may be flexible with, for example negotiating the time ofpickup using a time negotiation component 358.

The rideshare matching transaction system 220 may also include afinancial negotiations component 360, whereby the participants negotiatecompensation for the rideshare transaction. For example, a ride auctioncomponent 362 may administer bidding between one or more passengers 104for a seat in a vehicle 110 along a particular route 108. The ridesharematching transaction system 220 may also take into account rideshareparticipation incentives administered by a rideshare participationincentives component 370.

Participation Incentives

A block diagram of the rideshare participation incentives component 370is shown in FIG. 4. Participation incentives encourage the use of therideshare program by a diverse group of participants. Theseparticipation incentives may be monetary or non-monetary. For example,participants may be awarded prizes or recognition, as well as, cash anddiscounts. Tie-in promotions are advantageous with the providers ofinsurance services, wireless communication plan providers, andnavigation systems, to name only a few examples. Participationincentives provided by the rideshare participation incentives component370 include providing a free or discounted navigation system 402 forvehicle 110 and giving free or discounted insurance 404 againstliability occurring while participating in the rideshare program. Freeor subsidized wireless communication plans 406 and free or subsidizedvehicle cleaning services 408 may also be offered as incentives. Arideshare participation incentive 370 might also include inducements 418to actively participate in the rideshare system 160; for instance, adriver 102 may be given graduated fee credits tied to the percentage oftime a driver 102 makes his vehicle 110 available for ridesharetransactions.

Examples of monetary participation incentives include cash payments 410,sharing of revenue 412 collected by the rideshare program, or creditagainst fees 414 charged by the rideshare program. For manyparticipants, a primary advantage of participating in a rideshareprogram is the benefit to the environment. Recognition, in the form ofcarbon credits 413, is a powerful incentive to those participants. Acarbon credit is a value assigned to quantify the savings in carbonemissions caused by the participant's choice to engage in the ridesharetransaction. The value of a sale of carbon credits may extend beyondjust recognition, as there is a market developing to trade carboncredits for monetary and other consideration, such as offsetting rightsto generate carbon from other activities.

Revenue Business Methods

Referring to FIG. 5, the rideshare system 160 provides rideshare revenuebusiness methods 260. Revenue may be provided to operate the ridesharesystem 160 and may include monthly fees 510 or per transaction fees 512.Fees may be adjusted, up or down, based upon the monitoring of supplyand demand 514. For example, when there are more passengers 104 thendrivers 102 seeking transportation on a given route 108, the demandbased monitoring component 514 may increase the transaction fee 512.Similarly, if there are more drivers 102 offering transportation on aroute 108 then there are passengers 104 willing to participate, thedemand base component 514 may lower transaction fees 512 to encourageadditional passengers 104 to participate in a rideshare transaction. Asdiscussed above, or rideshare auctions 516 may be conducted directlybetween rideshare participants 102, 104, setting the price of therideshare transaction through bidding. The rideshare system 160 may takea percentage of these ride auctions.

The rideshare revenue business methods 260 may also include revenuesources originating beyond the participants of the system. For example,advertisements 518 may be sold to third party advertisers for display oninterfaces provided by the participant devices 112, 114. Third partyorganizations may offer sponsorships 520 compensating the rideshareprogram 160 and permitting the third party organization to obtain thepublic relations value of supporting a worthy program. Third partyorganization may also benefit by providing reward programs 522subsidizing rideshare transactions. Providers of products used in thenavigation system 115 may also provide promotional tie-ins, such asgiving memberships in the rideshare system 160 with the purchase of anavigation system 524.

Insurance is a significant issue in any rideshare system and anopportunity for revenue. Systems and methods for insurance integration526 derive revenue from the integration of insurance coverage with therideshare system 160 for example; low cost, month-to-month insurancepremiums can be collected to provide users with additional insurancecoverage that protects them while participating in a ridesharetransaction. Supplemental insurance policies may also be offered on aper rideshare transaction basis that insure against liability incurredduring the rideshare transaction. These supplemental insurance policiescould be charged on a per rideshare transaction basis or on a monthlyunlimited rideshare transaction basis. The rideshare system 160 couldact as the insurer or share in the revenues generated from thesesupplemental insurance policies, for instance, by collecting somethingsimilar to an agent's a fee.

Rideshare Security

The rideshare security system 230 is further described with reference toFIG. 6. A security match module 610 provides participant matchingfunctions 612 with a security focus. The security match module 610 maybe implemented as an extension of the rideshare matching transactionsystem 220. A safety testing function 614 might test for indicators thata driver 102 is intoxicated, for instance by asking the driver 102 tosolve a puzzle or demonstrate response time through the driver device114. A visual identity 616 or biometric identifier 618 are matchingfunctions that match identities at the time the passenger 104 is pickedup by the driver. For example, either or both of the participants 102,104 could be sent a picture of the other participant 102, 104 forviewing on their participant device 112, 114 when the participants 102,104 meet at the pickup location 172. The identity of either or both ofthe participants 102, 104 may be confirmed at the pickup location usingbiometric information associated with that participant, by communicating620 with the rideshare system using the participant device 112, 114.

A rideshare transaction monitor module 630 sets conditions for andmonitors the security of the rideshare participants 102, 104 while therideshare transaction is in progress. The transaction monitor module 630works in conjunction with a rideshare security timer 650. The ridesharesecurity timer 650 triggers monitors 634-640 to assess the safety of theparticipants 102, 104 at periodic intervals 652, randomly 654 or atscheduled times 656 during the rideshare transaction. For example, therideshare security timer 650 might periodically request from aparticipant to provide a security response to an active participantmonitor 638. Similarly, a passive participant monitor 636 measures andreports a metric using a participant device 112, 114, but without theactive participation of the participant 102, 104.

Some security functions are monitored in real-time 658. Real-timemonitoring occurs at or near an event and is subject to communicationlags and other technical limitations. For example, a location monitor634 may monitor the location of the vehicle 110 in real-time as thevehicle traverses the route 108. The location of the vehicle may bedetermined using the location capabilities of either participant device112, 114 or using a navigation system 115 associated with the vehicle110. If either of the participant devices 112, 114 or the navigationsystem 115 deviates from the route 108 by more that a pre-definedthreshold, the rideshare security system might take a security action.Examples of the security scenarios are discussed below.

The rideshare security system 230 may also respond to asynchronousnotifications initiated by a participant device 112, 114. For example,an emergency button 642 would be communicated 620 to the ridesharesecurity system 230, which might initiate a security response, such ascontacting a security response provider 670. Other security monitoring,whether initiated by the rideshare transaction monitor module 630 or aparticipant device 112, 114, asynchronous or synchronous, periodic,random, scheduled or monitored in real-time, are possible andcontemplated by the present invention.

Examples of Rideshare Security

The following examples of the rideshare security systems and methods arebroadly separated into server-based and device-based strategies. Aserver-based security check is initiated by a server associated with therideshare system 160 and interacts with either or both of theparticipant devices 112, 114 or a navigation device 115. A device-basedsecurity check is initiated by a participant device 112, 114 andinteracts with the server to evaluate the security alert and administera security response, when appropriate. Security checks may includeeither or both active participant checks, which anticipate theparticipation of the participant in the security check, and passiveparticipant checks, which judge information obtained without the activeparticipation of the participant. These categories are defined for thepurposes of simplifying the following discussion and are not intended aslimitations. Also, while examples of security checks may be discussedindividually for clarity, those taught or suggested by the examples maybe used in various combinations in the embodiment's of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a state diagram illustrating exemplary server-based securitychecks. A server 702 triggers 710 a security check 712. The trigger 710may be periodic, random or scheduled. The security check 712 may includean active participant check 714, a passive participant check 716, orboth. For instance, an active participant check 714 may include sendinga message to a participant device 112, 114 and requesting a replymessage. The reply message may include an indication of theparticipant's perception of the security situation, and an identitytoken such as a password or biometric confirmation. If the reply isconfirmed 718, the security state is determined to be OK 720, which isreported 722 to the security check 712. If the active participant check714 fails, a security alarm 730 is raised and reported 732 to the server702.

A security check 712 may also request a passive participant check 716that checks security information against metrics generally without theparticipation of the participant 102, 104. If the metric is confirmed724 to be within a range determined to be safe, the security state isdetermined to be OK 720 and is reported to the security check 712. Whenthe metric is determined to be out of range 726, a security alarm 730 israised. The security alarm 730 notifies 732 the server 702 of the unsafesecurity situation. The server 702 may then take appropriate action,such as performing other security checks to verify the securitysituation or reporting that security situation to a security responseprovider 670, such as the police.

FIG. 8 is a state diagram illustrating exemplary device-based securitychecks. A device based security check is generally monitored by aparticipant device 112, 114. The security check may be either automatedor responsive to something that a participant 102, 104 initiates. Forexample, a security parameter 802 is provided by a server 702 ordirectly programmed into a participant device 112, 114. A parametercheck 804 monitors the status of information obtained from theparticipant device 112, 114 and maintains a status of security OK 806 aslong as the information stays within pre-defined boundaries 808. If theinformation goes out of bounds, the participant device 112, 114 maydirect the process to either an active participant check 810 or apassive participant check 820. For example, the active participant check810 may request a reply from the participant and indicate that thesecurity situation is OK 806 if the reply is confirmed 812. If theparticipant replies that there is trouble 814 or no reply 816 isreceived, then the process moves to a state of security alarm 830. Apassive participant check 820 may check confirming metrics and eitherconfirm 822 that security is OK 806 or the metric indicates a problem824, triggering a security alarm 830. The security alarm 830 may thentake further action by notifying a centralized server 832 or taking adirect action 834, for instance, by notifying a security provider. Anemergency button 838 may directly cause entry into the security alarm830.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate exemplary embodiments of security monitoringsystems and methods, which can either be implemented as server-based ordevice-based. Turning to FIG. 9, a security monitor determines thelocation of a participant device 112, 114 compares that location to anexpected route 108 and triggers a security alarm when an anomaly isdetected. The route 108 may be agreed to by the rideshare participants102, 104, assigned by the transaction monitor 630 or other supportingserver. In embodiments that either allow or force the assignment of theroute 108, the transaction monitor 630 may choose a route based in partupon a safety profile of the route. The safety profile may take intoaccount such factors as the exposure of the route to the public, theavailability of communication connectivity along the route, and theanticipated law enforcement presence along the route.

Once the route 108 is determined, the location monitor 900 enforces theroute assignment 902 by conducting a location check 904 at periodic,random or scheduled intervals. The trip location 174 is determined fromeither or both of the participant devices 112, 114 or a navigationsystem 115 associated with the vehicle 110. If the trip location 174 iswithin pre-defined boundaries associated with the route 108, thesecurity status is considered in-bounds 906 and the security situationis maintained as OK 908. If the trip location 174 is not within thepredefined boundaries associated with the enforced route assignment 902,the location monitor 900 may trigger an off-route 910 active participantcheck 912, or may trigger an off-route 914 passive participant check916. A no reply 920 or a trouble reply 922 generates in a security alarm930. If the reply is confirmed 913, the process returns to a security okstate 908. A passive participant check 916 may seek to verify thesecurity situation, for instance by measuring other security-associatedmetrics, such as vehicle speed. The vehicle speed may be computed fromthe location information provided by either the participant devices 112,114 or the navigation system 115 and the timestamps associated with thatlocation information. If the metric is confirmed acceptable 917, theprocess returns to a security ok state 908. The security alarm 930 isentered if the metric is outside acceptable parameters 919.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary monitor 1000 that tracks theparticipant devices 112, 114 in near real-time and responds if thesignal from either of those devices becomes unavailable. If the trackingsignal is lost 1002, a no reply condition 1004 may move directly to asecurity alarm state 1010. The monitor 1000 may also seek to determineif there is a condition that explains the signal loss, such as querying1018 a communication network 1020 for its status. If there is a problemwith the network 1022, the security state may be set to a security okstate 1024. The security alarm 1010 is moved to if the network status isconfirmed as ok 1026. The monitor 1000 may also query active participantdevices 112, 114 to determine the status of the lost signal or todetermine helpful information, for instance, a starting location for aparticipant search, which is forwarded to the security alarm 1010.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary monitor 1100 that tracks theparticipant devices 112, 114 in near real-time and responds if thelocation information derived from those devices indicates that there hasbeen an early and unexplained separation of the participants 102, 104.The early participant separation state 1102 notes an anomaly, it mayinquire 1104 by moving to an active participant check state 1106, whichsends a message requesting a reply to either or both of the participants102, 104. If the replies 1108 are deemed to be sufficient to indicatethere is no security situation, the security state may be reset to OK1110. Otherwise, if there is no reply 1112 or a reply indicating thatthere is a security problem 1114, then a security alarm state 1116 ismoved to. The early participant separation state 1102 may also inquire1120 using a passive participation check 1122, which further analyzesthe security situation. Security Okay state 1110 indicates that asecurity situation does not exist 1124. Security alarm state 1116indicates a security problem 1126.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary monitor 1200 that tracks theparticipant devices 112, 114 in near real-time and responds if thelocation information derived from those devices indicates that there hasbeen an early and unexplained stop of either or both participant devices112, 114 or the navigation system 115. If an unexpected stop state 1202notes an anomaly, it may wait a pre-defined amount of time for theparticipants 102, 104 and the vehicle 110 to begin moving again, and toreset 1204 to security OK 1210 if the time limit is not exceeded. If thetime limit is exceeded 1206, the state is moved to an active participantcheck state 1220, which sends a message requesting a reply to either orboth of the participants 102, 104. If the replies are confirmed 1222 anddeemed sufficient to indicate there is no security situation, thesecurity state may be reset to OK 1210. Otherwise, if there is no reply1224 or a reply indicates that there is a security problem 1226, andthen a security alarm state 1230 is moved to. The unexpected stop state1202 may also inquire 1240 using a passive participation check 1242,which for further analyzes the security situation and moves 1244 to asecurity okay state 1210 if it is satisfied that a security situationdoes not exist.

The methods and systems of the present invention can encompassembodiments in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.Hardware includes commercially available or proprietary computer systemshaving a processor for executing program instructions and memory forstoring those instructions.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described asreferenced to the embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art willunderstand that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of thisdisclosure. Further, presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives,modifications, variations, or obvious improvements therein may besubsequently made by those skilled in the art, which are also intendedto be encompassed by the following claims.

1. A system for setting a rideshare transaction fee, comprising: adatabase to maintain data for rideshare transactions, each associatedwith a route; a rideshare identification module to identify at least onerideshare transaction that travels along a particular route; aparticipant determination module to determine a number of driversoffering transportation on that particular route and a number ofpassengers seeking transportation on the particular route; and a feemodule to set a transaction fee for the at least one ridesharetransaction along the particular route by automatically increasing thetransaction fee when there are more passengers seeking transportationthan drivers offering transportation and automatically decreasing thetransaction fee when there are more drivers offering transportation thanpassengers seeking transportation.
 2. A system according to claim 1,further comprising: an insurance module to offer insurance policies forthe rideshare transactions based on at least one of a monthly unlimitedbasis and a per rideshare transaction basis.
 3. A system according toclaim 2, further comprising at least one of: a policy module to providethe insurance policies; and a revenue module to share in revenuegenerated from the insurance policies, which are provided by a thirdparty.
 4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising: aparticipant selection module to select at least one of the passengersseeking transportation for inclusion in the at least one ridesharetransaction along the particular route.
 5. A system according to claim4, further comprising: a participant matching module to identify theselected passenger by determining a participant rating for each of thepassengers seeking transportation and matching the selected participantto the rideshare transaction based at least in part on the assignedparticipant rating.
 6. A system according to claim 5, wherein theparticipant rating is based upon at least one of a metric associatedwith those rideshare transactions that the selected passengerparticipated in as a driver, a metric associated with those ridesharetransactions that the selected passenger participated in as a passenger,a metric associated with a feedback rating from one or more otherparticipants regarding a prior rideshare transaction with the selectedpassenger, a rating of common interests shared by the selected passengerand other participants assigned to the at least one ridesharetransaction along the particular route, and a relationship based on asocial network system.
 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein thetransaction fee comprises at least one of a recurring monthly fee and aper rideshare transaction fee.
 8. A system according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a compensation module to receive compensation in exchangefor at least one of providing sponsorships and providing advertisingspace to third parties.
 9. A system according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a membership module to offer memberships to potentialparticipants who purchase particular third party products.
 10. A systemaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a rideshare incentive moduleto provide incentives to potential participants comprising at least oneof third party products, insurance, wireless communication plans,vehicle cleaning services, cash payments, recognition, carbon credits,and graduated fee credits.
 11. A method for setting a ridesharetransaction fee, comprising the steps of: maintaining a database ofrideshare transactions, each associated with a route; identifying atleast one rideshare transaction that travels along a particular route;determining a number of drivers offering transportation on thatparticular route and a number of passengers seeking transportation onthe particular route; setting a transaction fee for the ridesharetransaction along the particular route, comprising at least one of:automatically increasing the transaction fee when there are morepassengers seeking transportation than drivers offering transportation;and automatically decreasing the transaction fee when there are moredrivers offering transportation than passengers seeking transportationwherein the steps are performed by a suitably-programmed computer.
 12. Amethod according to claim 11, further comprising: offering insurancepolicies for the rideshare transactions based on at least one of amonthly unlimited basis and a per rideshare transaction basis.
 13. Amethod according to claim 12, further comprising at least one of:providing the insurance policies; and sharing in revenue generated fromthe insurance policies, which are provided by a third party.
 14. Amethod according to claim 11, further comprising: selecting at least oneof the passengers seeking transportation for inclusion in the ridesharetransaction along the particular route.
 15. A method according to claim14, further comprising: identifying the selected passenger, comprising:determining a participant rating for each of the passengers seekingtransportation; and matching the selected participant to the ridesharetransaction based at least in part on the assigned participant rating.16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the participant rating isbased upon at least one of a metric associated with those ridesharetransactions that the selected passenger participated in as a driver, ametric associated with those rideshare transactions that the selectedpassenger participated in as a passenger, a metric associated with afeedback rating from one or more other participants regarding a priorrideshare transaction with the selected passenger, a rating of commoninterests shared by the selected passenger and other participantsassigned to the at least one rideshare transaction along the particularroute, and a relationship based on a social network system.
 17. A methodaccording to claim 11, wherein the transaction fee comprises at leastone of a recurring monthly fee and a per rideshare transaction fee. 18.A method according to claim 11, further comprising: receivingcompensation in exchange for at least one of providing sponsorships andproviding advertising space to third parties.
 19. A method according toclaim 11, further comprising: offering memberships to potentialparticipants who purchase particular third party products.
 20. A methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising: providing incentives topotential participants comprising at least one of third party products,insurance, wireless communication plans, vehicle cleaning services, cashpayments, recognition, carbon credits, and graduated fee credits.